CHAPTER XVI
LE’S MYSTERIOUS MOVEMENTS
Le remained at Mondreer, only riding over to Greenbushes every day to superintend the repairs and refurnishing of his house.
He never met Odalite except at meal times, and then their chairs were so placed that neither need look in the face of the other. Odalite’s seat was near the head of the table. Le’s near the foot, on the same side. They merely greeted each other on entering the dining room, and that was all. Mr. and Mrs. Force treated their young relative with the most delicate consideration.
Col. Anglesea treated his defeated rival with offensive condescension.
Le tried to ignore the colonel’s existence, and found his greatest comfort in the company of his little cousins. Their warm, sincere love and sympathy was as balm to his bruised heart.
The children had successfully passed their home examination by the father, and their holidays had already commenced, though it was a full week before Christmas. And thus they were able to give their sailor cousin a great deal of their society.
The mother and father did not interfere. They were glad enough of any comfort or solace they could afford Le, to occupy or amuse his mind, and keep his fingers and his scalping knife off Anglesea’s hair.
The children used often to walk over with Le to Greenbushes in the morning, spend the whole day there with their cousin, and return with him in the evening.